Watchcase



Aug: 17, 1943. s. KRAMER EIAL WATCHCASE Filed June 17. 1941 INVENTORS Samuel Kramer, BY JuliLw Kahn.

Patented Aug. 17, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE wucncasa Samuel Kramer and Julius Kahn, New York, N. Y., assignors to Pioneer Waich Case Co. Inc, Molmi Vernon, N. Y., a corponflioa ofNew York Application June 17, 1941, sciax No. 398,366

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to watchcam and more particularly to watcheases of the watertight type, that is, watchcases constructed so asto prevent the entrance of foreign matter and particularlyo'l moisture, into itsinterior.

- The general object our invention is the provision in va watchcase of a construction that is simple, inexpensive and eflective tor excluding moisture and other foreign matter from the interior of the watchcase.

Among the more particular objects of our itivention are: the provisional a; watertight joint between the watch crystal and the part or: parts upon which it. seats and the provlsion'of an arrang-email of two members between which the perimeter of the crystal is clamped to provide a watertight joint, one of said members being adjustable relatively to the other to effect the clamping operation. V

. A still further group of objects of our inventlon includes the provision in a watchcase o! a watertight joint for securlngthe watchcase back in position; the provision of a watertight joint between the watchcase back and 'a watchcase member, said Joint being eilected by the engagement between an external upwardly extending flange on the back and a downwardly opening slot intermediate the thickness 01 the other member.

A still further group of objects resides in the provlsiono! a single member which forms at one end a watertight joint with the crystal and at the cther'end a watertight joint with the back, said joints being so arranged and constructed as to be adjustable independently of each other i and more particularly an assembly of a watch crystal, a watch back and a member to provide a watertight casing.

Among the objects of our invention are: the provision or an arrangement for attaining a watertight joint between the crystal and the bezel comprising a threaded bore in the bezel and a flange thereon to receive the rim of the crystal and a member in threaded engagement with the threaded bore of the bezel for messing the crystal to its seat; the provision of a joint between the back and the member comprising a threaded bore in the member, a. threaded engagement of the back with said bore and a flange in one member fitting into a groove in the other member. s c

Among the more particular objects of our invention is further the provision of a simple construction in a watcxtlght watchcase, whereby a watertight joint is provided tal side of the watch, and joint is provided between the back and the watch, and whereby the tightening of these joints may be efiected entirely independently of each other.

A further particular object of our invention is the provision in a; watchcase of a watertight at the front or crysa second watertight joint having the parts thereof pressed together by means distributed along substantially the entire extent of the joint,

In the drawing we have shown an illustrative embodiment of the watchcase in accordance with our invention in which these objects are attained in. a specific construction wherein the casing comprises a crystal, a bezel, and a back, the bezel being threaded internally to receive at one end thereof. a threaded member which engages the crystal against one end of the bezel to form a watertight joint at that end, and to receive at the other end an externally threaded flange projecting upwardly from the back member with the flange engaged in a. slot in the bottom of the bezel to form a watertight joint at the other end.

I In the drawing:

Figure l is a top plan view of a watch the case of which is representative of one illustrative embodiment of our invention;

Figure 2 is ,a. bottom plan view of the same;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially 0n the plane indicated by the line 3-6 of Figure 1,. looking in the direction of the arrows, of the case of the watch shown in said figure;

=Figure 4 is an exploded view showing fragments of various portions of the case of the watch of Figure 1. grouped approximately as they appear in the completed assembly, but spaced from each other; and

Figure 5 is a perspective View 01"- one of the elements of the case of the watch of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, we have shown at [0- the bezel of our improved watchcase, which bezel is provided atits upper end with an overhanging flange l l, on the inner surface of which is shown seated a compressible washer or gasket II, on which, in turn, seats the rim or flange I 3 of the crystal H. The gasket l2 may be of any suitable or preferred material for the purpose, such for example, India rubher, The bezel is headed annularly as c iown at 0a for functioning a holder and tool for assembly and disassembly of the parts.

The bezel I9 is shown at l5 as having its inner wall or bore of uniform diameter throvgl at and is threaded substantially throughout .ts full length. Threadedly received on this bore at one end is a ring 16 which is threaded on its exterior as indicated at 50, and which when fully threaded upwardly to its position of Figure 3 as .where screws are used, as for example in United States Patent #2,229,979.

The back of the watchcase is shown at ll. It is in general of shallow cup shape, with a bottom l8 and a rim 19, which latter is divided at the top into two concentric annular flanges 2E! and 21, separated from each other by an annular groove 22. I

The bezel l 9 has its lower edge formed with two flanges 23 and 24 separated by an annular groove 25, and these are so dimensioned and'disposed relatively to the flanges and groove of the back, that the flange 2-! of the latter will enter the groove 25 of the former, when the bezel and the back are brought into assembled relation.

A gasket or Washer 26 of any suitable or preferred compressible material is shown positioned within the groove 25. Means for causing the flange'2l to compressthe washer 26 in the roove 25, and thereby to effect awatertight closure, are provided. Such means may be a male screw thread 2? on the outside of flange 20 in engage ment with threads E on the inside of the bezel.

pose when its dimensions are such that it will fill the space in groove 25. 7

Again it will be observed that the compressive forces for' tightening the joint are distributed substantially uniformly throughout its extent.

member having its bore threaded and of uniform diameter throughout its length and a bezel retaining flange extending inwardly from its upper end and an annular groove extending upwardly from its bottom surface to define two spaced apart downwardly directed annular flanges the bore of the inner flange being comprised of the I lower end of the aforementioned screw threaded bore; said bottom closure member being comprised of a bottom and an annular peripheral wall extending upwardly from said bottom, said upwardly extending peripheral wall having an annular space extending downwardly fromits upper surface to define two spaced apart up wardly directed concentric annular flanges, the outer surface of the inner annularflange being threaded and of the same diameter as the threadedbore of the body member and the vthick- V ness of the outer annular flange being approxi- Obviously the gasket 26 will best serve its ur f the crown'an'd the stem of the movement, the

' ring it may have a portion cut away, as at 3|,

at the point thereof which registers with the opening 29 when the ring isin place;

The ring it is furthershown provided with notches 32 which are adapted to be engaged by a tool, whereby adjustment of the ring I6 is readily effected.

By referring to Figure 2 it will be observed that we have I shown the back I 7 as provided with facets 33 on its periphery. These'are convenient for effecting adjustment of the back, without danger of injury to the finish ofthe back.

It will now be observed that adjustment of the mately equal to the width of the said annular groove extending upwardly from the'bottom of the body member; whereby the inner upwardly extending flange of the bottom closure member can have its outer wall threaded 0n the lower portion of the inner threaded bore of the body member to causesthe outer upwardly extending flange of said-bottom closure member toengage in the annular groove extending upwardly from the bottom surface of the body member to engage a washer receivedin said angular space and form a watertight'joint. o

2. A watchcase comprising an annular body member, a locking ring and a'bottom closure therefor, said body member having its bore threaded and of uniformdiameter throughout its length and a bezel retaining'flan'geextending inwardlyv from its upper end and an annular groove extending upwardly, from its bottom surface to define two spaced apart downwardly directed annular flanges the bore of the inner flange being comprised of, the lower end of the aforementioned screw threaded. bore; said bottom closure member being comprised of a bot- 7 same diameter as the threaded bore of the body 'member' and the thickness of the outer annular joint between the bezel and the crystal may be effected entirely independently of the joint between the back and the bezel, which has the obvious advantage'that each'may be properly adjusted-to its maximum effectiveness.

It will further be observed that by theme of our simple and inexpensive construction watch cases may be made completely watertight.

While we have herein disclosed one illustrative embodiment of our invention, it will be under- I stood that our invention may be embodied'in many other forms without departingfrom the spirit thereof, as will be obvious to those skilled in the art. It is also tobe understood that the disclosure herein is by way of illustration merely and is not to be interpreted in a limiting sense,

and that we do not limit ourselves other than as called for by the prior art. 7

Having thus described our invention and il-' lustrated its use, what we claim as new and desire to secure'by Letters Patent, is: i

. 1. A watchcase comprising an annular bod member and a bottom closure therefor, said body tom and an annular peripheral wall extending upwardly from said bottom, said upwardly extending peripheral wall having an annular space extending downwardly from itsupper surface to define two'spacediapart upwardly directed concentric annular. flanges, the outer surface of-the inner annular-flange being threaded and of the flange being approximately equal to the width of the said annular groove extending upwardly from the bottom of the body member, said looking ring having a threaded outer diameter equal to that of the inner threaded bore of the body member and being of less height than the length of that bore whereby the locking ring can be first threaded upwardly therealong until it engages the bezel and secures it in position against the aforementioned inwardly extending flange of the body member and thereafter the inwardly upwardly extending flange of the bottom'closure member can have its outer wall threaded along the lower portion of the threaded bore of the bottom member, to cause the outer upwardly extending flange-of said bottom closure member to engage in the annular groove extending up- 'wardly from the bottom surface of the body member to engage a washer received in said angularspace and form a watertight'joint.

SAMUEL KRA ER. JULIUS KAI-IN. Y 

